98 TH MEMORIAL SERVICE OF HIS MAJESTY KING PETER I

A memorial service took place today at the St. George Church at Oplenac to mark the 98th commemoration of HM King Peter I death.

On behalf of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander, the great grandson of HM King Peter I, wreaths were laid by Crown Council members Mr. Zoran Zivanovic, Mr. Predrag Markovic and Mr Ljubodrag Grujic, who is also Herald of the Royal house. The holy liturgy was officiated by His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadija.

King Peter I was the fifth child of Prince Alexander and Princess Persida (the daughter of Duke Jevrem Nenadovic), and a grandson of Karadjordje, the supreme leader of First Serbian uprising. He was born on St. Peter’s Day 11 July 1844. In 1883 he married Princess Ljubica-Zorka, the eldest daughter of the Montenegrin Prince Nikola in Cetinje, Montenegro. They had five children: two daughters Jelena and Milena and three sons Djordje (who renounced his right to the throne in 1909), Aleksandar and Andrija (died as a child).

On 28 May 1903, a group of Serbian army officers organized a coup d’état and proclaimed Prince Peter Karadjordjevic, then living in Switzerland, the new King of Serbia. The National Parliament confirmed this on 15 June 1903. HM King Peter I died on 16 August 1921 in Belgrade and was buried in the Royal Mausoleum of St. George Church in Oplenac.